< Galatians 3 >

1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the trueth, to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified?
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 This only would I learne of you, Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Lawe, or by the hearing of faith preached?
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
3 Are ye so foolish, that after ye haue begun in the Spirit, ye would now be made perfect by the flesh?
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?
4 Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine? if so be it be euen in vaine.
Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
5 He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it through the workes of the Law, or by the hearing of faith preached?
Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
6 Yea rather as Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes.
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Knowe ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
8 For the Scripture foreseeing, that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Gospel vnto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.
The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9 So then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithfull Abraham.
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For as many as are of the workes of the Lawe, are vnder the curse: for it is written, Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the Law, to doe them.
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
11 And that no man is iustified by the Law in the sight of God, it is euident: for the iust shall liue by faith.
Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
12 And the Lawe is not of faith: but the man that shall doe those things, shall liue in them.
The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Lawe, made a curse for vs, (for it is written, Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus, that wee might receiue the promise of the Spirite through faith.
He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
15 Brethren, I speake as men do: though it be but a mans couenant, when it is confirmed, yet no man doeth abrogate it, or addeth any thing thereto.
Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
16 Nowe to Abraham and his seede were the promises made. Hee saith not, And to the seedes, as speaking of many: but, And to thy seede, as of one, which is Christ.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the couenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ, the Lawe which was foure hundreth and thirtie yeeres after, can not disanull, that it shoulde make the promise of none effect.
What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
18 For if the inheritance be of the Lawe, it is no more by the promise, but God gaue it freely vnto Abraham by promise.
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Wherefore then serueth the Law? It was added because of the transgressions, til the seed came, vnto the which the promise was made: and it was ordeined by Angels in the hande of a Mediatour.
Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
20 Nowe a Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one: but God is one.
A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
21 Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: For if there had bene a Lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life, surely righteousnes should haue bene by the Lawe.
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
22 But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue.
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept vnder the Law, as vnder a garison, and shut vp vnto that faith, which should afterward be reueiled.
Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
24 Wherefore the Lawe was our scholemaster to bring vs to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith.
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer vnder a scholemaster.
Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
26 For ye are al the sonnes of God by faith, in Christ Iesus.
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all ye that are baptized into Christ, haue put on Christ.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Iewe nor Grecian: there is neither bonde nor free: there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Iesus.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christes, then are ye Abrahams seede, and heires by promise.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

< Galatians 3 >